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Jonathan Banks lends not-so-grandfatherly auto advice as ‘Frampa’

Any fan of “Breaking Bad” knows that Jonathan Banks plays the ultimate fixer. That made Banks the perfect choice to play the salty sage t...

Any fan of “Breaking Bad” knows that Jonathan Banks plays the ultimate fixer. That made Banks the perfect choice to play the salty sage teaching the next generation of DIYers to do right by their cars in a new campaign from Fram Group and its Midwest-based creative agency Laughlin Constable.

The new campaign seizes on the insight that Millennials who change their own oil often look past perhaps the most important part – the oil filter. And with oil filters, there’s a cheap way and a right way. Enter “Frampa,” a crusty elder who helps the younger generation buy the right oil filter, the FRAM oil filter, for their cars.

“People used to learn about changing their oil from someone more experienced, like a father or an uncle. Those older guys historically reached for the FRAM filter. But the current generation hasn’t been taught the value of using the right filter and they reach for the cheap one,” says FRAM Brand Manager Brian Kelley. “So we wanted to introduce the kind of mentor who people would trust to help them do the whole job right.”

The character was perfectly embodied by Banks, famous for his work on “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” long before he agreed to the campaign. “Jonathan Banks was choice one, two and three for Frampa,” says Dan Fietsam, Chief Creative Officer at Laughlin Constable. “Our team loved the juxtaposition of a seasoned advisor who’s long on wisdom and short on BS. This man does not suffer fools.

Communicating sometimes with grunts and groans and an exceptionally tight hand grip, Banks guides a series of novice DIYers. “Your engine will thank me. Now you can get back to your robot music,” Banks says as he tosses the car keys back to a startled looking twenty-something. “They’re not Robots, they’re Swedish,” the younger man says.

The campaign consists of four spots, all filmed in Los Angeles on location in automotive stores and home garages. They were directed by Ric Cantor, best known for his humorous anti-texting spot for the New Zealand Transport Agency.